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How to create a new route in Runkeeper with a GPS data file

The problem:Runkeeper.com is a great service for tracking runs, but sometimes you want to create a new route based on a data file you might have. Currently (August 2011), there’s not an obvious way to do that. By default, Runkeeper wants you to physically map out routes using their mapping tool. That’s great for short routes on roads, but it’s less practical for longer trail runs.

The solution:
Here’s the tl;dr version…there only five steps:

Get your data file into GPX or TCX format.

Upload your new GPX/TCX file as a new (fake) activity to Runkeeper.

Go to your new activity and select “Create as route”.

Delete the new fake activity.

Go run!

Here’s the longer version…

Get your data file into GPX or TCX format. GPS data comes in a lot of weird formats. Runkeeper will only consume two of them. Here’s a recent personal example. I was traveling to Boise, ID and needed to do a 16 mile run, preferably on trails. I found a run, but the format was Google Earth’s KML format. I just grabbed a copy, went over to GPS Visualizer and converted the format over to GPX. If you’ve got some crazy original format that GPS Visualizer can’t convert, try downloading GPS Babel and using it to convert your file.

Upload your new GPX/TCX file as a new (fake and temporary) activity to Runkeeper. If you’ve used Runkeeper at all, this will be a familiar process, though not one that you’ve likely tried before. Just hit the big blue ‘Post New Activity’ button, as usual. Indicate your activity type and your equipment type should be ‘none.’ Hit next. On the following screen, select the ‘Import Map’ button in the center of the screen. You’ll see a prompt to select a file that’s located on your computer. Click the ‘Choose File’ button to navigate to your newly converted GPX file. If all is well, your screen should quickly change to display a map with what looks like your new route. Hit the ‘Next’ button. Here’s where you’ve got to fake out the system a bit. Input a time…use 1 hour just to be simple. You might make a note in the “How did it go?” field just to say this is a temporary placeholder. Hit the big blue Save button.

Go to your new fake temporary activity and select “Create as route” from the bottom left corner of the map. Now go to your activity stream and select your newly added (fake) activity. Down at the bottom left corner of the map you should see a link in small blue text that says, “add to your routes.” Click it. Input your route info and hit save.

Delete your new fake temporary activity. Now go back to your activity stream and delete your fake activity by selecting the activity and clicking the ‘delete’ text link in the upper right corner above the map.

That’s it! You’ve just hacked Runkeeper to create a new route from a GPS file. Go run!